Saturday, February 28, 2009

Moments with Joey – Inappropriateness

Pin ItSCENE 1, INTERIOR. MORNING, FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM.The teacher is standing at the front of the class; he is pointing out a series of vocabulary words written on the dry erase board. Students are giving the definition and are using the said words correctly in either an example or sentence.

TEACHER: Now, whose word is ‘rallied’?

[A hand shoots in the air. The teacher indicates the student who promptly replies.]

STUDENT 1: It means to come together as a group.

TEACHER: Excellent! Would you please give me an example using your word?

[Student thinks for a moment before answering.]

STUDENT 1: The class rallied together at the assembly in the gym.

TEACHER: Fantastic! Whose word is this?

[Teacher points at the word ‘deadline’. Another student raises her hand and responds with the correct definition.]

TEACHER: Would you please give me an example of ‘deadline’?

STUDENT 1: Our literature responses are due on Monday; that’s the deadline.

TEACHER: Wonderful!

[The teacher points to one of the final words on the board. The word is ‘inappropriate.’ A boy’s hand punches the air.]

TEACHER: Would you please tell me the definition of the word, ‘inappropriate’?

JOEY: To do something not socially acceptable for where you are.

TEACHER: Would you please give me an example of ‘inappropriate’?

[Joey pauses, thinking.]

JOEY: Yeah, pooping in your pants during class.

[General laughter percolates the classroom as the teacher stands, speechless. He nervously glances about the room, unsure of just how to proceed at this point. After an uncomfortable beat he continues.]

I am so glad you were able to handle that so well. No point in getting mad -- his answer showed he completely understood the word. I suppose there are a lot of other ways it could have gone that would have been worse.